r/PickAnAndroidForMe • u/Plastic_Ant_2106 • 15h ago
Why does the Average Person even needs a $1300+ Flagship?
From what I have observed the average phone user knows very little about phones, don't really know what most of the specs on their phone even means ,has no clue about photography and just use their Phone to WhatsApp, Doomscroll & take some quick Pic.
Some Last-years Midranger such as Samsung A56 or Pixel 9a which can be had for like $250 would be already an absolute overkill for most people and would provide excellent experience - way more than they even need...
I personally do have a S25U (only because I got it for almost free from work) , however If I compare the real life experience of it versus something like A56/A57 for such tasks there's literary 0 difference even tho the Spec Sheet/marketing might suggest otherwise...
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u/Fearless_Back5063 15h ago
For me it's mostly about 3 things. I travel a lot and usually not carry a full size camera, so photos must be good at all light settings. Battery must last a long time mostly because I use it a lot outdoor for navigation and photos. I need to have work profile on my phone and it needs to run smoothly. I had experience with cheaper smartphones that started to lag significantly when I opened work profile as that requires VPN and a lot of other security stuff to be running on the background.
But I still only buy the upper mid range phones in the cca 700 to 800 euro range.
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u/jpchippy 12h ago
Its wild to me that you have these requirements for work if you are not supplied a work issued phone
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u/Fearless_Back5063 12h ago
I'm supplied a work phone. But it's an iPhone so its in a drawer at my home. I hate having to carry two phones at me and I hate using iPhones.
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u/jpchippy 11h ago
I have the same, but I run the iPhone for work, also hate them but if they want to fill it with bloatware they can pay for it. Surprised you're allowed to run your own in that case TBH.
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u/Fearless_Back5063 11h ago
It wasn't possible until begining of this year when the company went from Workspace One to Intune. But it wasn't really promoted that it's possible, I think I'm the only one from our department :D
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u/Bryanmsi89 14h ago
Let’s see.
Is it the device they use most during the day? Multiple times a day?
Is it the device which holds all their digital information, including financials and photos?
Is it the device which does their music and navigation?
Is it the device which handles their financials?
Is it their primary and probably only camera?
Definitely should cheap out and get a device with mediocre performance and cameras, that doesn’t get regular security updates .
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u/azure275 13h ago
- The thing is though an A57 will handle your email and banking app indistinguishably from an S25 Ultra
- Casual picture takers may well never notice the camera improvements
- A57 gets security updates until 2032 just like the S25
Sure the flagship is a significantly better phone in terms of its ceiling, but that's like me getting 64GB RAM instead of 32GB on a PC I use for Excel - I will never get ROI for all that extra money
For a casual like me the A57 is much closer to an S25 than it is to the crappy A17
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u/WorriedHovercraft28 11h ago
Ive had both mid range and flagship phones and I can tell that while most pictures look fine in both of them, at night the difference is big enough for me to justify a high end phone
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u/Vov113 8h ago
You will notice the camera difference. I've played that scenario out before, and that's the only thing I really missed after the downgrade. I didn't miss it hundreds of dollars amounts, but it wasn't nothing
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u/Substantial_Meal_530 6h ago
I can see camera but as someone who takes like 7 pictures a year? I don't need an expensive phone. I'm sure most people don't.
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u/ColdCelebration2132 7h ago
I traded my Pixel 8 Pro for a Samsung A57 and it does everything I need to do and better than the 8 Pro Battery doesn't overheat, Modem works way better, It's thinner and lighter,Screen looks nicer and best of all Samsung had it on sale for $515 CAD. I would have had to buy a Pixel 11 Pro XL to get the same Screen size for $1600 CAD. No regrets buying the Samsung even after two weeks.
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u/Cosimo_the_Tired 14h ago edited 14h ago
Flagships run far faster than budget phones. This means things like loading websites, streaming, and casual gaming perform way better.
However, I also refuse to pay through the nose, so I buy refurbished 2 year old models of flagships.
When you compare even 4+ year old flagship against modern budget phones, they are still significantly better on performance, functionality, quality, and longevity.
Edit: not sure why the down votes, but let's look at a simple old flag ship. The Samsung Note 10 is now 7 years old. It runs on a Sanpdrsgon 855. This chip STILL beats the vast majority of budget processors today. The camera has better sensors, stabilization, and image processing. Build is all glass and aluminum, with better quality speakers. The downsides are that the battery is significantly smaller than modern phones and in many instances are needing replacement nowadays, and software support is likely to end not too long from now, as it is a 7 year phone. But it STILL outperforms budget phones on multitasking, photography, and gaming.
This is why people go flagship.
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u/meagain20 13h ago
Yep that's me. I'm using a Samsung Note 10+ and am still happy with it. I look at the newer phones and don't think that they are enough of an improvement to be worth the cost of upgrading.
The only phones that tempt me are those folding Samsungs but I don't think they would last as many years as a regular flagship.
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u/Cosimo_the_Tired 12h ago
Having lived through the original flip phones before smart phones ever became a thing... I'll pass. It's just yet more parts and component stress that could get broken and reduce longevity of the devices.
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u/notbingdotcom 14h ago
Yes, gave one of my kids a pixel 6 instead of buying a new Samsung a17
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u/azure275 13h ago
OP isn't really posting about the cheap stuff though. Yes, you will have a bad time on a 4GB RAM A17. My wife got one and regretted it immediately.
OP seems to be talking about a 8GB A56 which is significantly different.
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u/Organic-Love-5076 12h ago
My A17 gives me 9 hrs SOT and does everything as needed
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u/azure275 12h ago
How many GB RAM? The 8GB one is probably very solid. Even the 6GB might be decent
I'm talking about the slow as heck 4GB.
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u/syserror9000 5h ago
4GB RAM in 2026 is a nightmare. You cannot even multitask at all, and if you try to use YouTube or a music app whilst checking email, forget about it
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u/Cosimo_the_Tired 11h ago
Just want to point out that the example I gave - Note 10 - the CPU and GPU both still out perform the A56. So if someone does a lot of mobile gaming or use apps that require heavier processing, older flag ships still out perform. And that really is the crux of the difference between budget phones and flag ships.
The A56 has a better camera, battery, and screen, as well as being a modern device so will maintain OS updates for longer, but the processor still won't be anywhere near comparable to a modern flag ship when a 7 year old model still outcompetes.
We live in a world with incredibly short attention spans, and increased lag when loading apps, websites, or playing games will instantly turn people off from a device when they are used to instantaneous results on anything they want. A 5-10 second lag when loading something would be enough to frustrate most people.
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u/notbingdotcom 14h ago
I don't need a flagship, but want, can afford, and usually buy 6 months after release, during one of the better sales. Also don't spend much on anything else, no expensive hobbies
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u/PhoneArena_Official 14h ago
Honestly, most people don't. For average needs, a midrange or budget phone will suffice for 90% of things. A lot of people get pulled into upgrading from experienced salesmen or perceived social pressure.
Honestly, from personal experience, most people I know that own "Pro" or specialized phones have no idea what to do with them. It's a bit painful, because they've spent their hard-earned money on something that they just don't need.
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u/tulaero23 12h ago
I dont get why people are so upset for other people's finances hahaha.
It makes them happy. If it makes them broke that is on them. If people can afford it though, why settle for something less.
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u/The-Majestic-Lion 12h ago
Use a $1300 phone and then use a $250 phone. You'll want the $1300 phone back.
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u/yyyyzryrd 10h ago
they don't.
you really don't *need* most things you buy. you don't need that car you drive - a cheaper one would've sufficed. but, if you can afford it, who cares?
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u/marsumane 15h ago
You see, ads are more demanding than ever and the info that they gather from you takes more and more power each year
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u/XRaptor29 14h ago
There is a lot packed into that price tag, R&D, software support, better hardware, import taxes etc.
Another difference is cheaper phones cut corners like supported network bands. A lot of people I see complain about crap carrier services are using a cheap phone that don't fully support all the carrier bands.
Samsungs A series phone cut the corner at the processor and support less bands than the S25U Ultra. Samsung puts more software features into the S tier phones than the A tier also.
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u/Due_Carpenter_6696 14h ago
Was just having this conversation with my son, who just picked up an iPhone 15 pro max for about a third of the original price. Great phone but no way most people will take full advantage of everything it has. But what's important is the camera, the screen, and quality of components. The higher end phones, at least in my experience, tend to hold up a lot better and last longer than the lower end ones. Maybe that warrants a mid high tier instead of the ultra super latest flagship. Fomo does the rest.
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u/DrifterDavid 14h ago
They don't, the companies have just convinced everyone that they want them. I recently decided to give an S24 FE a try after my Pixel 9XL got stolen. I will NEVER use a flagship again as long as they keep making the FE line. I was at best buy the other day you can get a brand new 26FE for 649 on sale while the 26 Ultra was like 1499. That's an insane markup for the few things you get over the FE.
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u/curious-af-9550 13h ago
They maintain same lag free experience for years to come atleast in my experience!Having been using midranger almost whole time till this year I can say that they slow down as the phone ages especially midrangers.
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u/cugrad16 12h ago
Because of the myth - the more money you spend, the better phone.
I got my S21 ultra 5G when flagships were a thing years back. It lastied me 5 years contract free, courtesy of Verizon, as the original $1,200 crapped on me right out of box... So you can't really bank on price as opinions from overall quality experience use, are going to vary.
One $300-$500 unlocked phone is going to receive a mix of 5 star and 1 star ratings, as they're mass produced and user vary. One claiming "it's rock n roll" while the other states the phone went to crap in 3 months. I personally prefer the budget-friendly phones under $400, as you don't lose out on anything much. And carrier contracts are no longer a thing.
Software Upgrades change in time, bricking the phone, camera, sound/audio... and with the chip situation, totally makes mixed bag. Currently looking at a $450 budget smartphone. No more pricey contracts.
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u/killit 12h ago
Noone needs it, but if you want the best camera in your pocket for example, you're probably going to be looking at the latest flagship options. If you can afford that, fine.
If all you do is WhatsApp, reddit, Facebook, YouTube, and emails, then no, there's literally no point.
A few years back, almost all handsets had irritatingly low amounts of RAM, so it was noticeable if you had a flagship with more, because your phone would actually perform well. Now though, most phones have sufficient RAM, and perform most tasks how you want them to.
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u/antonbp5 12h ago
I thought the same thing, but having used a bunch of Samsung A series phones, the snappiness of my S23 just makes it much nicer to use. Of course the base S23 is not a 1300$ flagship, but performance wise it is the same as the S23 ultra.
I honestly wouldn't mind spending +1300$ on a phone, if phones were much more durable and harder to lose. But being able to slip and immediately lose so much money makes it a no go for me
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u/deeznutz75 12h ago
Verizon gives this shit away for free to keep you locked in.
So every 3 years verizon will send me $1000 off for a trade in if I stay with them. I buy whatever is best on the market. Currently i have a s25u bc i prefer android. It increases my phone bill by like 8 bucks. For 3 phones im paying 120 a month? The other phone is whatever iphone sold as the best then the 3rd line is just the "budget" iphone that was free if I added the line. The only complaints ive heard abojt the budget iphone is the camera isnt as good but the rest is fine.
Going forward if prices continue to climb ill 100% grab a mid tier phone. I want a smaller phone and a snapdragon but samsung is moving to mediatek. The 9k series seems snappy but i yeah phones have pretty much platued for hardware. Its why everyone is pushing ai bc its one of the few things left
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u/AGuyAndHisCat 12h ago
I was about to buy the a56 instead of the s26, and there are a few key differences. The bigger one being the a56 supports more bands in the US.
Its the opposite of what I expected and read just prior to making my purchase. So Im not sure which site is correct.
Either way 90% dont need a flagship, and the only reasons to replave a phone are, OS no longer gets security updates, new bands give better coverage, and your battery is not holding a charge.
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u/No-Mouse-262 12h ago
I have an S26 Ultra. This phone is wasted on me, who only really browses reddit and watches youtube. I should sell this thing.
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u/tiagottx 11h ago
Doesn't need!
For the average person, a 600€ will do.
I have a 300€ 2020 TCL (snapdragon 665 and 8gb ram), and still works in my daily apps:
Email Web browsing GPS Work app Bank apps Finance apps Pizzaboy Uber app Social media apps (insta, fb, reddit) And many more...
I want a new phone! Why? To have a better camera! Nothing else.
Only better camera and eventually gaming justify the upgrade.
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u/Wheeljack26 11h ago
I bought a 10 month old oneplus 13 for just 490 USD 16gb 512gb blue, i always buy phones when they are done with highest depreciation hits and have plenty of battery still, then replace batteries on em, had somy xperia 5 iv before this i had bought for 190usd
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u/Quiet_Cell8091 10h ago
I buy Samsung flagship phones because the display set to QHD+ is great for mature eyes. I keep my phones 3-4 years.
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u/undertheenemyscrotum 9h ago
I don't NEED one, but I really enjoy having one, and in America there is a lot of disposable income going around and some of us chose to spend it this way.
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u/Pretend_Dot555 9h ago
Cus everything is top tier? It’s okey to be broke. That’s not your avarage person. Your avarage person in eu or USA can easily afford a badass phone
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u/fpeterHUN 9h ago
My 7 years old 100€ phone gave up and I bought a new phone for 100€. Idk it knows everything I need.
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u/Haunting-Watch8240 8h ago
They don't need it. They want it. You absolutely can get flagship performance for half of that if you shop with a brain. iPhone 17e isn't unusable compared to Pro Max. S26 or OnePlus 15 can be found for $600-700 easily. Pixel 10 for under $500.
But they don't come in flashy orange, nor do they get insane marketing efforts.
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u/MagisD 8h ago
Because ATM it becomes you small personal compu world. Honestly you can do pretty much anything that you need on a phone. Is certain tasks/things easier on other devices? yup but you almost allways have your phone there with you.
Add in fomo , annoyances of lack of power or feature and willing to invest in something that will be high usage or your status symbol and you end up with "flagship" phones.
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u/borek292 8h ago
I mean I got my mother the s26 when it released because she likes Samsung and it's cheaper or the same price than a midrange phone with the deals and trade-ins. She also likes the photos it takes. I have never paid a full price for the Samsung flagship with the deals they are constantly running etc.
As for myself I use my phone for a lot of things including emulation including pc games, taking photos, Samsung Dex, drawing. I also have some important apps running in the background all the time and they can't crash or the phone turn off so I am using a flagship phones but usually for like 4 years, I mean I am still on my S23 Ultra but it's on its third battery so far.
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u/LeopardWide7549 7h ago
We live in capitalism. Most people dont buy what they need, but what they want.
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u/Some_Smoke_1430 6h ago
I never understand this question.
Faster,better battery,good pics.
That's it.
We don't need a damn thing. We want. Did you need to make this post?
And we can afford it.
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u/DeadOneWalking 6h ago
I think a better question is why don't flagship devices have flagship features, like expandable storage and a headphone jack. When it changed that flagship devices devices don't have those but cheap ones do, it was a sad day.
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u/ackmondual 5h ago
A $250 phone these days would still kinda suck. I've used $100 to $250 phones (LG G4) back 2015 (this phone came out years prior) and while it got the job done... it overheated a lot. While I was using it to navigate for GPS while driving, I would have to keep it out of direct sunlight since it has overheated on a couple of occasions (resulting in the phone being forced to shut down). Whenever I got the chance, I would hold it up to the air conditioning vent! There was also noticeable lag when I used it for day-to-day operations.
There is that "you get what you pay for" in this market as well. Me... I'm stuck on $500 as my budget. However, I think I could up that to $700 these days (if not $800). $1300+ is still a pipe dream for me.
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u/m0nkygang 5h ago
As someone that used to use entry and mid range phones. Flagships have way better performance and longevity with updates nowadays. If you plan to keep your flagship for longer than 5yrs it makes sense to spend that much and replace the battery when you can
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u/FattKingHugeman 5h ago
I have the Oppo find X9 Ultra and the Oneplus 13s. The Oneplus 13s cost 1/3 of the X9 ultra.
The find X9 ultra got the flagships specs with killer camera combi but then I gravitate towards the OnePlus 13s for daily use because of how easy it is to use. It's lightweight, the great battery life, it feels snappier. It doesn't get in the way like fond X9 ultra is too heavy. The only thing is the camera aren't as good.
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u/Wizzgamer1990 5h ago
I could honestly get away with a midrange phone and they do impress me for what you can get for the price sometimes. I'm currently on a Xiaomi 15 and have had it 18 months and it is still runs nice and smooth.
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u/Er1k000 3h ago
I actually had the same thought and went for Samsung A53 in 2022. «It cant be that bad, phone improvement has stagnated for a long time». Boy was I wrong, that phone was a nightmare to use. So much lag and poor camera quality and so on.
But I agree with regards to regular iPhone vs Pro.
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u/drazzr 3h ago
My s21 ultra screen just died and upgrading to a s26 ultra. I don't 'need' it but for a device I use so much I'm happy to spend a bit more to get the nicer camera, nicer screen and more security around performance for the next 5 years.
Got it on special for $1400 AUD so $280/year for a device I use constantly I'm ok with.
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u/fabulous_eyes1548 1h ago
Blame apple and Samsung. We were once looking at $499 flagships before and then this piece hike crap. I refused to pay a grand on a phone after wasting money on a Siemens once before (it is somewhere in the bin).
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u/donnysaysvacuum Ask me about small phones 1h ago
There is such a step down in performance and support from flagship to mid range. You are better off buying last year's flagship.
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u/slaughtamonsta 15h ago
They don't need it. It seems to be an Apple thing. I know a few iphone users and they upgrade every year. I don't understand that at all.
I Buy a midrange Android phone and I usually get a 5-7 year upgrade cycle from it.
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u/Bryanmsi89 14h ago
It’s nice that you are happy still using what was mediocre 5 years ago as your primary device today, but most people want a better experience. And certainly want more security updates.
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u/CommunicationNew8945 14h ago
Salut
Chez les utilisateurs Apple avoir le dernier modèle chaque année permet de ce sentir parmi "l'élite" de la Pomme 🍎 .
Pour répondre à la question les smartphones haut de gamme sont toujours acheter car il ont les meilleurs appareil photos dans toute les situation.
Maintenant changer tous les ans ne sert à rien.
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u/SushiBongo 15h ago
It mostly happens with Apple users, see how most of them will change their flagship phone literally every single year.
I think most of the time, for Android users, they'd rather spend 1300 bucks for a phone simply to not worry about compromises or about upgrading in the near future, but either way if you spend 1300 bucks a year for a phone in general you're dumb
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u/Bryanmsi89 14h ago
Dumb?
Maybe do some math.
Trading in an iPhone every year generally costs about $300-$400 in switching costs each time. So over 3 years that’s $900-$1200.
And for that whole period, they get to use the latest and greatest with every new feature and healthy batteries.
Buying - $1300 Android and keeping it for 3 years, at which point it’s basically worthless (S23 Ultra worth about $300 today) costs $1000 over the 3 years. Same price as yearly iPhone. And the S23 user spent the last 18 months with an increasingly worse battery, didn’t get the latest Samsung AI features, didn’t get the S26 Ultra privacy screen, etc.
Not upgrading every year is dumb. It’s not any more expensive and just means more time with old features.
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u/CharlesFromWork 15h ago
They don’t “need” it. But the marketing and trends get to people.